Respiration is a natural process whereby oxygen is transported from an air source to cells in tissues, while carbon dioxide is transported from cells in the opposite direction. Respiration is generally achieved through breathing. In particular, organisms with lungs perform the process of breathing through inhalation and exhalation.
Some patients undergoing acute pain therapies involving narcotic regiments are at higher risk of apnea occurrence, e.g., suspension of external breathing, or reduced respiratory rates. Absent continuous monitoring by clinicians, affected patients have a greater likelihood of long-term paralysis and in some cases death.
Conventional devices employed by clinicians, such as pulse-oximeters, only measure perfused oxygen levels in the blood stream. However, these devices lack the necessary means for measuring respiratory gases in the airways and lungs and cannot determine the sufficiency of ventilation and respiration. Moreover, conventional capnography equipment utilizes gas sensors to measure carbon dioxide in side streams of gases pumped from respiratory assist tubing and masks. The side stream is necessary because the conventional gas sensors are too large to be placed in or near a patients airway. The temporal response of the conventional capnography system is dampened by the necessary use of the side stream. Clinically-useful, fine, temporal patterns in gas levels are thus lost to the clinician. Moreover, conventional capnography systems are large, expensive and require high power levels making them impractical for use in in the field for emergency care.
Conventional fiber optic oxygen sensors are known in the art to possess smaller size and lower power requirements. However, optical oxygen sensors respond to changes in oxygen levels and to temperature. Moreover, to correct for temperature-related fluctuations in oxygen readings exhibited by the optical sensors, a separate temperature sensor such as a thermistor is also required. Employing multiple sensors to measure oxygen gas levels often leads to longer detection times. Moreover, the electrical safety advantage of using an optical gas sensor is negated by the necessity of also using an electrical temperature sensor.
What is therefore desired in the art is an apparatus and method capable of measuring sufficient ventilation and respiration in a patient.
What is also desired in the art is an apparatus and method that is capable of accurately measuring ventilation and respiration in a relatively short period of time.
What is also desired is a sensor small enough to measure ventilation and respiration within a patient's airways.
What is yet also desired in the art is a single unitary apparatus capable of measuring oxygen gas levels adjusted for temperature.
What is further desired in the art is a small apparatus for measuring oxygen levels with reduced power requirements.
What is even further desired in the art is an apparatus and method that remotely displays ventilation and respiration measurements to a clinician for further analysis.